24 research outputs found
Group field theory formulation of 3d quantum gravity coupled to matter fields
We present a new group field theory describing 3d Riemannian quantum gravity
coupled to matter fields for any choice of spin and mass. The perturbative
expansion of the partition function produces fat graphs colored with SU(2)
algebraic data, from which one can reconstruct at once a 3-dimensional
simplicial complex representing spacetime and its geometry, like in the
Ponzano-Regge formulation of pure 3d quantum gravity, and the Feynman graphs
for the matter fields. The model then assigns quantum amplitudes to these fat
graphs given by spin foam models for gravity coupled to interacting massive
spinning point particles, whose properties we discuss.Comment: RevTeX; 28 pages, 21 figure
Encoding simplicial quantum geometry in group field theories
We show that a new symmetry requirement on the GFT field, in the context of
an extended GFT formalism, involving both Lie algebra and group elements,
leads, in 3d, to Feynman amplitudes with a simplicial path integral form based
on the Regge action, to a proper relation between the discrete connection and
the triad vectors appearing in it, and to a much more satisfactory and
transparent encoding of simplicial geometry already at the level of the GFT
action.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, RevTeX, references adde
A Note on B-observables in Ponzano-Regge 3d Quantum Gravity
We study the insertion and value of metric observables in the (discrete) path
integral formulation of the Ponzano-Regge spinfoam model for 3d quantum
gravity. In particular, we discuss the length spectrum and the relation between
insertion of such B-observables and gauge fixing in the path integral.Comment: 17 page
3d Spinfoam Quantum Gravity: Matter as a Phase of the Group Field Theory
An effective field theory for matter coupled to three-dimensional quantum
gravity was recently derived in the context of spinfoam models in
hep-th/0512113. In this paper, we show how this relates to group field theories
and generalized matrix models. In the first part, we realize that the effective
field theory can be recasted as a matrix model where couplings between matrices
of different sizes can occur. In a second part, we provide a family of
classical solutions to the three-dimensional group field theory. By studying
perturbations around these solutions, we generate the dynamics of the effective
field theory. We identify a particular case which leads to the action of
hep-th/0512113 for a massive field living in a flat non-commutative space-time.
The most general solutions lead to field theories with non-linear redefinitions
of the momentum which we propose to interpret as living on curved space-times.
We conclude by discussing the possible extension to four-dimensional spinfoam
models.Comment: 17 pages, revtex4, 1 figur
Coupling gauge theory to spinfoam 3d quantum gravity
We construct a spinfoam model for Yang-Mills theory coupled to quantum
gravity in three dimensional riemannian spacetime. We define the partition
function of the coupled system as a power series in g_0^2 G that can be
evaluated order by order using grasping rules and the recoupling theory. With
respect to previous attempts in the literature, this model assigns the
dynamical variables of gravity and Yang-Mills theory to the same simplices of
the spinfoam, and it thus provides transition amplitudes for the spin network
states of the canonical theory. For SU(2) Yang-Mills theory we show explicitly
that the partition function has a semiclassical limit given by the Regge
discretization of the classical Yang-Mills action.Comment: 18 page
Group field theory and simplicial quantum gravity
We present a new Group Field Theory for 4d quantum gravity. It incorporates
the constraints that give gravity from BF theory, and has quantum amplitudes
with the explicit form of simplicial path integrals for 1st order gravity. The
geometric interpretation of the variables and of the contributions to the
quantum amplitudes is manifest. This allows a direct link with other simplicial
gravity approaches, like quantum Regge calculus, in the form of the amplitudes
of the model, and dynamical triangulations, which we show to correspond to a
simple restriction of the same.Comment: 14 pages, no figures; RevTex4; v2: definition of the model modified,
discussion extended and improve
Effective Hamiltonian Constraint from Group Field Theory
Spinfoam models provide a covariant formulation of the dynamics of loop
quantum gravity. They are non-perturbatively defined in the group field theory
(GFT) framework: the GFT partition function defines the sum of spinfoam
transition amplitudes over all possible (discretized) geometries and
topologies. The issue remains, however, of explicitly relating the specific
form of the group field theory action and the canonical Hamiltonian constraint.
Here, we suggest an avenue for addressing this issue. Our strategy is to expand
group field theories around non-trivial classical solutions and to interpret
the induced quadratic kinematical term as defining a Hamiltonian constraint on
the group field and thus on spin network wave functions. We apply our procedure
to Boulatov group field theory for 3d Riemannian gravity. Finally, we discuss
the relevance of understanding the spectrum of this Hamiltonian operator for
the renormalization of group field theories.Comment: 14 page
Quantum simplicial geometry in the group field theory formalism: reconsidering the Barrett-Crane model
A dual formulation of group field theories, obtained by a Fourier transform
mapping functions on a group to functions on its Lie algebra, has been proposed
recently. In the case of the Ooguri model for SO(4) BF theory, the variables of
the dual field variables are thus so(4) bivectors, which have a direct
interpretation as the discrete B variables. Here we study a modification of the
model by means of a constraint operator implementing the simplicity of the
bivectors, in such a way that projected fields describe metric tetrahedra. This
involves a extension of the usual GFT framework, where boundary operators are
labelled by projected spin network states. By construction, the Feynman
amplitudes are simplicial path integrals for constrained BF theory. We show
that the spin foam formulation of these amplitudes corresponds to a variant of
the Barrett-Crane model for quantum gravity. We then re-examin the arguments
against the Barrett-Crane model(s), in light of our construction.Comment: revtex, 24 page
Bubbles and jackets: new scaling bounds in topological group field theories
We use a reformulation of topological group field theories in 3 and 4
dimensions in terms of variables associated to vertices, in 3d, and edges, in
4d, to obtain new scaling bounds for their Feynman amplitudes. In both 3 and 4
dimensions, we obtain a bubble bound proving the suppression of singular
topologies with respect to the first terms in the perturbative expansion (in
the cut-off). We also prove a new, stronger jacket bound than the one currently
available in the literature. We expect these results to be relevant for other
tensorial field theories of this type, as well as for group field theory models
for 4d quantum gravity.Comment: v2: Minor modifications to match published versio
Matrix Models as Non-commutative Field Theories on R^3
In the context of spin foam models for quantum gravity, group field theories
are a useful tool allowing on the one hand a non-perturbative formulation of
the partition function and on the other hand admitting an interpretation as
generalized matrix models. Focusing on 2d group field theories, we review their
explicit relation to matrix models and show their link to a class of
non-commutative field theories invariant under a quantum deformed 3d Poincare
symmetry. This provides a simple relation between matrix models and
non-commutative geometry. Moreover, we review the derivation of effective 2d
group field theories with non-trivial propagators from Boulatov's group field
theory for 3d quantum gravity. Besides the fact that this gives a simple and
direct derivation of non-commutative field theories for the matter dynamics
coupled to (3d) quantum gravity, these effective field theories can be
expressed as multi-matrix models with non-trivial coupling between matrices of
different sizes. It should be interesting to analyze this new class of
theories, both from the point of view of matrix models as integrable systems
and for the study of non-commutative field theories.Comment: 13 pages, v3: details added and title change